1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to evaporative cooler apparatus, and, more particularly, to round or cylindrical evaporative cooler apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For cooling air in geographical areas of relatively low humidity, evaporative coolers are extensively used. The cooling principle of the evaporative cooler is that air is drawn into the cooler through pads soaked with water. The air gives up heat of vaporization to the water, thus cooling the air. The vaporized water flows with the cooled air and is distributed throughout the area of the structure, such as a building, a home, etc., that is to be cooled.
The temperature of the air may be lowered several degrees by an evaporative cooler system. The evaporatively cooled air is circulated throughout the building, etc., to replace or cool the warmer air within the structure. New or fresh air is continually brought into the evaporative cooler and is circulated throughout the structure, and then it flows out of the structure to return to the outside air.
Most evaporative air cooling systems of the prior art are generally of a rectangular configuration, having either three or four sides that contain pads and through which the incoming air flows. Within the rectangular housing is a blower which pulls the outside air into the evaporative cooler through the pads and circulates the cooled air through the structure on which the evaporative cooler is located. Typically, squirrel cage type blowers are used for air movement due to their flow capacities.
The evaporative cooler housings, as described above, are usually made of sheet metal. However, in recent years the use of round or cylindrical evaporative coolers, using fiberglass and resin rather than sheet metal, has been suggested. Examples of such coolers are shown in U.S. Pat. No. DES. 256,388, by the inventor of the present apparatus, and by U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,971.
The use of fiberglass impregnated with resin offers advantages not heretofore present with sheet metal evaporative cooler systems. For example, corrosion and rust are problems with sheet metal coolers. However, fiberglass coolers are impervious to corrosion and they do not rust. Accordingly, these two problems, which are major problems with respect to sheet metal coolers, are not present with fiberglass coolers, such as the present invention.
Aesthetically, a round, cylindrical cooler appears more pleasant to the eye than does a square or rectangular sheet metal cooler. Moreover, a round cooler may use a continuous pad extending virtually 360.degree. while a square or rectangular cooler must of necessity use three or four separate pads and pad frames.
Evaporative coolers made from sheet metal are made of a plurality of individual pieces or elements fastened together as by welding, crimping, or the like, and by the use of fasteners such as screws, bolts, etc. The apparatus of the present invention has fewer separate pieces due to its molded fabrication and accordingly may be secured together in a far simpler manner.